Locking clip



July 13, 1965 D. P. RUTTER ETAL 3,193,894

LOCKING CLIP Filed May 8, 1963 INVENTORS .DONALD F. Em-TEE ANTHONY E. ClMOCHOWSK\ gaxz/ United States Patent 3,193,894 LOCKING CLIP Donald P. Rutter, Bernardsville, and Anthony E. (limochowski, Somerville, N.J., assignors to Johns-Manville gorpgoration, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Fiied May 8, 1963, Ser. No. 278,821 4 Claims. (Cl. 24-21) This invention relates to metallic banding or strapping and more particularly relates to a locking clip which is utilized With a type of banding strap which is secured in position by rolling the free end of the banding strap upon itself and relying upon its frictional engagement with the locking clip to hold the banding strap in adjusted tensioned position.

In many industries, it is conventional to utilize roll-up banding straps in which a strap of flexible material encircles an object and is secured in position by associating the ends of the strap with a locking clip. In one form of a roll-up banding strap, the locking clip is a tube of sufficient width and depth so that at least two thicknesses of the banding strap may pass therethrough. One of the ends of the banding strap is secured to the locking clip while the other end passes through the locking clip and is rolled upon itself until the banding strap is under the desired tension. The rolled portion of the banding strap cooperates with an edge of the locking clip to provide frictional forces to hold the banding strap in adjusted tensioned position. However, this exposed rolled-up portion of the banding strap is subjected to tampering and accidental dislodgement so as to destroy its purpose of holding the banding strap in adjusted tensioned position.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide a locking clip for roll-up banding straps which will facilitate the formation of the rolled portion and will provide ample protection for the rolled portion of the banding strap.

The foregoing object is accomplished in accordance with the instant invention by a locking clip com-prising a tubular body having a passageway of suflicient width and depth so that at least one thickness of the banding strap may be passed therethrough and having a pair of diverging arms secured to one end of the tubular body. These diverging arms are located so as to facilitate the formation of the rolled portion of the banding strap. One of the arms during the formation of the rolled portion serves as a base to prevent the bending or crimping of any portion of the banding strap underneath the rolled portion thereof and also to prevent the undue denting or marring of the surface of the material encircled by the banding strap. The other arm, in addition to aiding in the formation of the rolled portion cooperates with the rolled portion to provide the frictional forces holding the banding strap in adjusted tension-ed position and after the roll-up has been accomplished, this arm is bent around the rolled portion of the banding strap to provide ample protection therefor against accidental tampering or dislodgement.

The invention will be more fully understood and further objects and advantages thereof will become apparent when reference is made to the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention and the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a banding strap and locking clip of the present invention in an intermediate position of assembly;

FIG. 2 is an end view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the banding strap and locking clip in final assembled position;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of a locking clip in operational position; and

FIG. 5 is a side elevation of another form of locking clip of the present invention.

3,193,894 Patented July 13, 1965 Referring to the drawing, there is disclosed in FIG. 1 a locking clip 1 having a tubular body 2 and a pair of integral diverging arms 3 and 4 extending from one end of the tubular body 2. The tubular body 2 illustrated 1n the drawing has sufiicient width and depth so that the ends 5 and 6 of a banding strap 7 may be passed therethrough. In FIG. 4 there is illustrated one assembly for a banding strap 7 using a locking clip 1 of the present invention in which the banding strap 7 is utilized to hold a metal jacketed insulation 8 in position adjacent a pipe 9. As illustrated in FIG. 4, one end 5 of the banding strap 7 is passed through the tubular body 2 and then folded back around the end 10 of the tubular body 2. The locking clip 1 is then placed on the outer peripheral surface of the metal jacketed insulation '8 with the end 5 between the tubular body 2 and the metal jacketed insulation 8 and the arm 3 between the banding strap 7 and the metal jacketed insulation 8. The banding strap 7 is then passed around the circumference of the metal jacketed insulation 8 and the other end 6 of the banding strap 7 is passed through the tubular body 2. A forming mechanism (not shown) is then placed on the extremity of the end 6 which is then rolled upon itself to form a rolled portion 11, as illustrated in FIG. 1, until the proper tension is applied to the banding strap 7.

During the rolling operation, the arms 3 and 4 provide good bearing surfaces for the end 6 of the banding strap 7 so that the proper tension may be placed on the banding strap 7. It is noted that the arm 3 also functions to prevent the bending or crimping of that portion of the banding strap 7 underneath the rolled portion 11 and the undue denting or marring of the surface of the metal jacketed insulation 8 While the tension is being applied to the banding strap 7. 'Also, the arm 4, in addition to providing a bearing surface for forming the rolled portion, cooperates with the rolled portion to apply frictional forces acting on the rolled portion 11 of the banding strap 7 to maintain the banding strap 7 in adjusted t-ensioned position.

After the banding strap 7, has been assembled as illustrated in FIG. 1, the end 12 of the arm 4 is moved toward the arm 3 so as to cover the rolled portion 11 of the banding strap 7. In order to insure proper protection for the rolled portion 11 of the banding strap 7, the arm 4 should have a length greater than one-third the maximum circumference of the rolled portion 11.

In FIG. 5, there is illustrated a modified version of the locking clip of the instant invention. The arm 3 of the locking clip 1 is provided with an opening through which a securing means, such as the screw 13, may be passed to secure the locking clip 1 in a desired position on the peripheral surface 14 of insulating material 15. One end of the banding strap 7 is secured to another portion of the insulating material 15 (not shown) and the end 6 thereof is passed through the tubular body 2 and formed into the rolled portion 11 similar to that described in relation to FIGS. 1-4, inclusive. The end 12 of the arm 4 is then bent down toward the arm 3 in a manner similar to that illustrated in FIG. 4.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the locking clip 1 comprises a hard aluminum, such as a 3003-1-1- 16, having a thickness of .040 inch and the banding strap comprises a soft aluminum, such as 3003-0, and having a thickness of .032 inch. However, it is understood that the foregoing is given for illustration purposes only and in no manner limits the inventive concepts of the instant invention.

While the invention has been described in rather full detail, it will be understood that these details need not be strictly adhered to and that various changes and modifications may suggest themselves to one skilled in the art, all falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the subjoined claims.

- What We claim is:

banding strap passing through (f) the rolled portion of said banding strap being in contact with one portion of said arm to cooperate with said arm to hold said banding strap in adjusted position, and 1 I I (g) said one portion of said arm and an adjacent portion of said arm being contiguous to at least a portion of the external peripheral surface of said rolled portion of said banding strap to provide a protective,

cover therefor. a 2. A locking clip as defined in claim. 1 wherein: (a) said portions of said arm'have a length greater than one-third of the circumferential extent of said rolled portion of said banding strap. i

3. A locking clip for securing the ends of a banding' strap in adjusted tensioned position, comprising:

(a) a tubular body, a (b) a banding strap having one end attached to' said tubular body,

, a a a I n (c) the other end of said banding strap passing through said tubular body, W a a (d) said other end of said banding strap being rolled upon itself until the proper tension is applied to said banding strap, V V (e) a pair of diverging'arrns extending from said tubular body, r (f) the rolled portion of'said banding strap being in contact with one portion of one of said arms to cooperate with said one arm to hold said banding strap in adjusted tension position, (g) said one portion of said one arm and an adjacent portion of said one arm being contiguous to at least a portionrof the external peripheral surface of said rolled portion of said banding strap to provide a protectivecover therefor, and I (h) the other of said arms providing a rolled portion. j

'4. A locking clip as defined in claim'3 wherein:

(a) said portions of said one arm have a length greater than one-third the circumferential extent of said rolled portion of said'banding strap.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS base for said 1,915,720 6/33 De Vulitch 24 21 FOREIGN PATENTS 588,126 5/47 Great Britain. 

1. A LOCKING CLIP FOR SECURING THE ENDS OF A BANDING STRAP IN ADJUSTED TENSIONED POSITION, COMPRISING: (A) A TUBULAR BODY, (B) A BANDING STRAP HAVING ONE END SECURED IN FIXED POSITION, (C) THE OTHER END OF SAID BANDING STRAP PASSING THROUGH SAID TUBULAR BODY, (D) SAID OTHER END OF SAID BANDING STRAP BEING ROLLED UPON ITSELF UNTIL THE PROPER TENSION IS APPLIED TO THE BANDING STRAP, (E) AT LEAST ONE ARM EXTENDING FROM SAID TUBULAR BODY, (F) THE ROLLED PORTION OF SAID BANDING STRAP BEING IN CONTACT WITH ONE PORTION OF SAID ARM TO COOPERATE WITH SAID ARM TO HOLD SAID BANDING STRAP IN ADJUSTED POSITION, AND (G) SAID ONE PORTION OF SAID ARM AND AN ADJACENT PORTION OF SAID ARM BEING CONTIGUOUS TO AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE EXTERNAL PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF SAID ROLLED PORTION OF SAID BANDING STRAP TO PROVIDE A PROTECTIVE COVER THEREFOR. 